If you are from Texas, and/or Care about our Car Hobby, please Read, Sign andpass

[tyoneal]

To everyone:

Re: (H.B. 890)

URGENT LEGISLATIVE ALERT (UPDATE)

Texas Street Rod and Custom Vehicle Bill Passed by Full Senate; Sent to Governor for Approval

SEMA model legislation (H.B. 890) to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles and provide for special license plates for these vehicles was approved by the full Senate. The bill has already been approved by the full Texas House of Representatives. H.B. 890 defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. The bill will now be sent to Governor Rick Perry for his signature and enactment into law.

We Urge You to Contact Governor Rick Perry (Contact Info Below) Immediately and Request His Support for H.B. 890

H.B. 890 provides specific registration/titling classes and license plates for street rods and customs, including replicas. Street rods are of a pre-1949 vintage; customs are of the post-1949 era.

H.B. 890 allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble.

H.B. 890 only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle.

H.B. 890 recognizes the immeasurable amount of time, money and attention automotive enthusiasts invest in their hobby cars. Street rods, customs and replicas are the same crowd pleasers that participate in exhibitions and as parade vehicles, and whose owners regularly contribute to charities and civic events. This legislation represents an opportunity to acknowledge this family hobby and to protect it for future generations.
DON’T DELAY! Please contact Governor Perry immediately to urge his support for H.B. 890.
Please e-mail a copy of your letters to Steve McDonald at [email protected] Also, please forward this Alert to your fellow car enthusiasts. Urge them to join the SAN and help defend the hobby! Thank you for your assistance.

Governor Rick Perry
Phone: 512/463-2000
Fax: 512/463-1849
Email: http://governor.state.tx.us/contact/assistance.aspx
============================================
Please go here and tell Rick Perry to Sign this bill. It should help to keep our hobby strong and safe from the Federal Government.

If you don't live in Texas but know someone who does, please pass it along.

If you don't live in Texas and think you might someday, please get involved.

Hopefully other States will follow suit.

Thanks,

Ty O'Neal

[f-body]

Sounds like it does not change a hole lot to me. Anything pre 1965 has no emissions anyway. Pre 73 had no egr,pre 1975 had no cataytic converters. If you build a rat rod and put antique tags on it it does not matter. I read the bill and I am not seeing the big deal.


Im tired of inspectors not knowing what not to check my 1974 Camaro in Hunt County, a non emissions county. So in november when my personalized tags expire im moving them to my 1992 truck and going with Year Of Manufacture plates (YOM). I will run one front and rear and have no stickers on the winshield. Im not going to argue with inspectors for a car that should be exempt about running a cross ram with no egr. So im going with antique plates. I mean trucks drive around all the time with 'farm tags" on Escalades and Excusions and no says boo or using them as daily drivers. Lets talk about how many people say well I drive this so I am exempt. If you had any car or regular truck built after 1975 it had cats. No one in Hunt county has them on thier boom tube equipped pickup.

At this point Im tired of trying to work within the system. So going to antique tags on my car will mean no more inspections and tags a really cheap. So since I am tired of trying to deal with ignorant( and ignorant means unknowledgeable not dumb) inspectors Texas is loosing out on my higher registration fees and my yearly inpsection fees.

The local motorcycle cop will eyeball you if you run antique tags on your car. I had to run to the store to pick up a radiator for my 1992 truck so i took my friends 69 truck with only a back plate on it since its registered as an antique. Cop made a u turn and as soon as he saw the plates he mad another u turn and went the other way. My friend was driving the truck and the cop did the same thing to him. Not doing anything wrong just no front plate on the truck.

There are so many police in Hunt County who have thier hot rods registered as antique vehicles. Its ok for them to do it and not me?

These are quotes from the Texas DMV website:

http://www.txdot.gov/txdoteforms/GetForm?formName=/VTR-54.xdp&appID=/VTR&status=/reportError.jsp&configFile=WFServletConfig.xml

""State law makes falsifying information on this application a third-degree felony.""

""My signature indicates that I am the owner of the above described vehicle. The frame, body and motor are at least 25 years old,
and the vehicle is a collector’s item that will be used solely for exhibition, club activities, parades, and other functions of public
interest (replicas do not qualify for Antique plates). The vehicle will not be used for regular transportation except when routine
maintenance is needed. The vehicle will not carry advertising.""
So all these hot rod shops that have thier shop logo on thier door or back window here in Texas are illegal by having advertisements on thier car if they run antique tags!!!!!


And technically under the law you dont have to have insurance for antique vehicles if you get the affidavit signed at the DMV office.
http://www.txdot.gov/txdoteforms/GetForm?formName=/VTR-54.xdp&appID=/VTR&status=/reportError.jsp&configFile=WFServletConfig.xml
""Owners of vehicles that meet the limited use restriction provisions of this registration may seek an exemption from the financial
responsibility requirement by contacting the Department of Public Safety (DPS) for an affidavit. If the DPS approves the
exemption, a copy of the signed and dated affidavit (by a DPS agent) must be filed with the county tax assessor-collector's office
when obtaining or renewing the Antique plate.""

[f-body]

By the way the law did pass and will go into affect on Sept 1,2011

On another note the legal limit for window tint in Texas is changing on September 1, 2011. It will be 25%, it was 20 % so they are going to a lighter allowable window tint on drivers and passenger windows. Yeah cause its not hot or bright in Texas I am sure my a/c wants to work even harder. LOL

[WS6]

The tint law is already in effect. I had a heck of a time finding someone to pass my truck with 20% tint on the windows. Freaking stupid if you ask me. The difference between 20 and 25% can really only be seen with a meter or if the vehicles are side by side.

[tyoneal]

Hello:

Wouldn't these items be of particular interest for the people who enjoy our Pro-Touring Cars?

================================================== ===
H.B. 890 provides specific registration/titling classes and license plates for street rods and customs, including replicas. Street rods are of a pre-1949 vintage; customs are of the post-1949 era.

H.B. 890 allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble.

Wouldn't this be good for people who for example bought a 69 Camaro Body, built a frame, put a LS* in it? It would be a replica and receive the 1969 Model year designation. Then "See below".

H.B. 890 only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle.

Your replica 1969 Camaro would basically be emissions free.

I don't know, but as I read it, H.B. 890 opened the door for a lot of people who want to get into the hobby of Hot Rod Cars, a way to affordably drive what would be in some cases a very expensive car by merely building a replica, and thus also benefiting from the lack of extensive emissions headaches that people in California have to put up with.

Want a '33 Roadster? Buy a '33 body, build or make your own chassis, drivetrain, and interior. Resembles a '33 Ford, then it gets titles as a '33 Ford. Titled as '33. Presto you have No emission standards to comply with and everyone can get into the hobby a lot easier.

Am I reading this wrong, or are these exemptions and easy replica designations already in effect?

I genuinely don't know. I figured if they were already there would be no reason to put these in another House Bill.

Educate me, please. I hate making mistakes and wasting people time with dumb or false post.

I do try and stay politically educated, but sometimes I do screw up.

Ty O'Neal

[f-body]

I was allways concerned that they would move to a law that California had at one time, I dont live there but I dont know if it still in effect. The older law in CA was if you put a 2011 engine in a 69 car to be legal you were going to have to inpsect the car for 2011 standards.

I figured most who build like a 33 coupe or roadster would just register it as an antique.

In you example of building a 69 camaro would you be refering to an aftermarket body from dynacorn? I am not sure of the registration issues since it looks like a 69 camaro and I thought they were issued an actual VIN # when you bought the shell.

I am stuck on 74 Camaro models and probably wont build anything else but it would be of benefit to pro-touring type cars. I did have an issue with a yearly inspection because I did install an SY1 crossram and it has no egr. As soon as they opened the hood he would not inspect it. Now I know the 74 did originally come with an egr valve but it seems to be an issue trying to get a straight answer from and inpsector on what is actually exempt and what is not. I dont know how people in Dallas ge their older cars inspected. I might have to just take a trip and ask a local shop and see what kind of answer I get.

H.B. 890 only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle.

Your right if I was building a 67-73 camaro and installed an LS engine according to this statement I would only have to have emissions equipment that was on the model year I was building. Since the years listed really did not have any emissions equipment anyway.
In the case of my 74 camaro I would still have to have an egr, pvc, charcoal recirculation canister because those came on my car originally even if I did install an LS engine. The more I look at it the more it does seem to have made it easier to install late model engines in older cars and make modifications to those vehicles. But if I was to take a 1980 Camaro and put a 2011 LS engine in the car I would still have to keep all emissions equipment on the vehicle that it came with originally. Some where along the line in Texas vehicles were exempt from emissions if they were old enough. Is the vehicle exempt form testing or exempt from a visual inspection

This is directly from the TX DPS site
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/Misc/faq/engine.htm#swaps
""The year model of a reconstructed vehicle will be the same year in which it was reconstructed and not the year of original manufacture. Therefore, the inspection requirements would be for the model year of the vehicle (same as the year of reconstruction) or the year model of the engine itself, whichever is the later model.""
In this example H.B 890 does make it easier if you were to construct a dynacorn 69 camaro body in 2011 because the old rules meant it would have to comply to 2011 standards.


Now according to this page
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/veh_class_list.asp?class=Passenger+Car&classsubmit=Go
in Texas vehicles "Exhaust Emission System (beginning with 1968 models)" are inspected. What exhaust emissions equipment is there in a 68 model?

Looking a little more I found the answer here
http://www.txdps.state.tx.us/vi/inspection/rules_list.asp?itemdrop=Exhaust+Emission+System&rejectsubmit=Go
""The exhaust emission system was installed by manufacturers of motor vehicles beginning with model year 1968. The inspection of the exhaust emission system will apply only to those vehicles that are equipped with such a system. The following exhaust emission systems will be inspected if installed as original equipment by the manufacturer: thermostatic air cleaner, exhaust gas recirculation system, positive crankcase ventilation system, air injection system, evaporative emission system, and/or catalytic converter.""

I understand that registering a vehicle and inspections are two different items but if you were building a car you would want to know all the facts before you assume anything. I guess it will make PT cars easier to build here in Texas. These pages from the Texas DPS site will proabalby need to be updated since HB890 will change some of the interpertation of the law for inspections and registering. Another issue is that just because the State of Texas says a vehicle is exempt under the letter of the law it does not mean you can remove any emissions or safety equipment the vehicle originally came with. That is an argument I have had with many who have late 70's early 80's cars. "oh I'm exempt I can take all that emissions stuff off".

[f-body]

The tint law is already in effect. I had a heck of a time finding someone to pass my truck with 20% tint on the windows. Freaking stupid if you ask me. The difference between 20 and 25% can really only be seen with a meter or if the vehicles are side by side.

Yeah and its hot In texas. What is this like a month of 100+degree heat. My 1992 truck is black and had the cling window film but it was limo and really dark. I had to remove it on the side windows to get it inspected, the back window can be as dark as you want as long as you have side view mirrors. With the winshield shade and the dark tint it was a lot cooler after being out in the sun all day. Now its so hot the a/c has to work harder to cool the inside off. We need windows like the sunglasses or eye glasses that get darker in daylight. We need two pane windows, the outter is clear and the inner is really dark. hmmmm

I saw a cop car the other day that had dark tint on the front two windows. I guess its ok for them since they fall under the exempt catagory :(

The old law for tint limits only applied to 1988 and newer vehicles now its every vehicle.

What if you had your windows tinted to legal before the law was changed you cant even get a pass on that one? I guess you should throw your hard earned money away remove the window tint and have it redone to the new lower legal standards

[WS6]

Correct, your tint must be 25% or higher no exceptions. I moved from Georgia to Colorado to Texas within one year. I had my windows tinted in GA a few years ago. The girl who failed me said I could scrap it off right then and she'd pass me. I declined that offer and found someone that would pass me regardless. According to the meter, I was 3% too dark. I wasn't going to remove my tint because of 3%. No idea what I'll do for next year. Heck, I may be moving to Kansas or the OK panhandle towards the end of the year anyway. Tint laws are dumb.

[tylers88]

In Iowa legal on the front roll-ups and windshield(obviously) are 70%, that is new stock, older cars that have sat out all their lives cant even pass on a meter stock. Lucky for me I live in a small town and work in the closest small town that I grew up in and I have 20% and the cops just wave.

I cant deny that my windows are tinted because you almost cant see through them at night
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/08/picturephpalbumid2653pictureid21572-1.jpg
Day they arent as bad
https://static1.pt-content.com/images/pt/2011/08/picturephpalbumid2653pictureid26606-1.jpg

[tyoneal]

Here is the latest I have on the Subject:


Texas Two-Step

Street Rod and Custom Vehicle Bill Becomes Law in the Lone Star State

After an effort that stretched into two legislative sessions, SEMA-model legislation to create a vehicle registration classification for street rods and custom vehicles, including kit cars and replicas, and provide for special license plates was approved by the Texas State Legislature and signed into law by Governor Rick Perry.

Slated to go into effect on September 1, 2011, the new law defines a street rod as an altered vehicle manufactured before 1949 and a custom as an altered vehicle at least 25 years old and manufactured after 1948. The law also allows for the use of non-original materials and creates a titling and registration criterion that assigns these vehicles the same model-year designation as the production vehicle they most closely resemble. In addition, the law only holds street rods, customs and replicas to the equipment standards specified by law during the model year listed on the title of the vehicle and exempts them from emissions inspections. Certificates of title for replica vehicles will include the word 'replica'. "The bill was passed during this session because of the hard work of all Texas automotive enthusiasts and will help us with a simple and uniform method to title and register the cars built in this state," explained Texas SAN member John Crisler, who worked diligently to support the measure.

Texas joins California (2001), Illinois (2002), Missouri (2004), Rhode Island (2004), Hawaii (2004), Montana (2005), Maine (2005), Colorado (2006), Arkansas (2007), Virginia (2007), Nevada (2007) Florida (2007), Idaho (2008), Iowa (2008), Tennessee (2008), Wyoming (2009), Utah (2009), North Carolina (2009), Massachusetts (2010) and Washington state (2011) as states that have enacted similar bills into law.

The new law is the product of two legislative sessions. In 2009, identical legislation that was approved in committee did not receive a vote by the full Texas House of Representatives before the legislators adjourned for the year.

"After the disappointment we experienced in 2009, it is extremely gratifying that the Texas legislature was ultimately persuaded to enact legislation recognizing the unique nature of these vehicles as hobbyist cars," said SEMA Vice President of Government Affairs Steve McDonald. "For the hundreds of vehicle enthusiasts in Texas that supported this bill, building, maintaining and enjoying these unique creations is a favorite pastime. This law represents an opportunity to acknowledge their commitment to the hobby and to protect it for future generations." The model bill will continue to be pursued by SEMA in states that either don't have registration classifications for these vehicles or have laws that are lacking in some way. SEMA efforts are ongoing this year to work with the state legislatures in New York and New Jersey on this initiative and to add others to that list in the coming legislative sessions.